Steelers' Charlie Batch Suggests Caution With A Justin Fields Package: "It's Not As Easy As What You Think"

The Pittsburgh Steelers brought two quality starting quarterbacks on board during the 2024 offseason: Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Fields is only in his fourth season, still hoping to prove himself, while Wilson is in his 13th, hoping to show that he is still the quarterback that won a Super Bowl. The Steelers are looking to take advantage of having both talents on their roster this season and made the first step towards that in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. 

When the Steelers signed Wilson and traded for Fields, Head Coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that the senior player had "pole position" to be the starter. However, Wilson got injured early in the offseason and could not start. Fields stepped up and took the team to a 4-2 record before handing the reins to Wilson, whose gone 4-0. However, something about Fields makes people wonder about using them both. 

The Steelers finally chose to use Fields in some special packages in the Ravens game. Fans have advocated for this, and Tomlin has indicated that more of these plays might be coming. Former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, who spent 11 seasons playing in the cold conditions of the AFC North, said fans need to temper their expectations. He recently joined Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show on 102.5 WDVE and said fans told him they want the team to do this more during his postgame show.   

"Everyone was curious on whether or not we can continue to use that Justin Fields package because we were able to close the game out with him on the field," explained Batch. "I'm making people aware, it's not as easy as what you think it is. You stand for an hour and a half in the first half, and then all of a sudden, your play is up, and it's like, 'Hey, go run a 40-yard dash right now.' And you're like, 'Whoa, I need to warm up!' Now that these temperatures start to change here, and this weather is going to go from 60 degrees to 30 degrees, you gotta get warmed up. I'm just cautious as it relates to that package, only because Justin Fields is standing a lot more throughout the course of the game, and it's very hard to maneuver and operate if you're standing around a little bit longer."

While he only played three snaps, it showed clear confidence in his abilities. One of the first times Fields came in, it was on a third down, but unfortunately, he slid and stopped just short of the marker. The second time was the nail in the Ravens' coffin. With just over a minute left in the game, on a 2nd-and-10, Fields was able to pick up nine yards. That allowed running back Najee Harris to come in and pick up the final yard, securing the win. 

The Steelers have several crucial games remaining during these last few weeks of the season. If they plan to use Fields more often, they must help him stay warmed up and ready to play. 

Steelers' Russell Wilson Spreading The Love

Batch said the question asked nearly as often as the one about using Fields was, "Where the heck was Mike Williams?" The recently acquired Williams scored a touchdown in the Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders. That made fans believe he would be seen more than other depth receivers. However, that wasn't the case. Williams was only in on a handful of plays and had little impact. 

The other surprise for fans was the heavy use of tight end Darnell Washington instead of Pat Freiermuth. Batch said that fans shouldn't worry that Washington is going to get Freiermuth's snaps; he thinks Wilson is still getting a feel for this offense. He also acknowledged that at 6'7", Washington makes an intriguing target. 

The Steelers' offense will find its stride and improve as the season progresses. A lot of football is left, and Batch believes Wilson will spread the ball to all his targets. 

What do you think about the Fields package? Click to comment below. 

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